Wireless text-messaging communication systems and text-messaging capable mobile wireless communications devices are known generally. As voice and data wireless communications technologies continue to merge, text-messaging services are increasingly provided with other data and voice communications services offered by network operators.
Exemplary text-messaging services include the short messaging service (SMS) and the enhanced messaging service (EMS) of the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) standard, the Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) for 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standard, among other messaging system standards, some of which are proprietary, including those used on two-way wireless pagers and other dedicated text-messaging devices.
It is predicted that wireless text-messaging will increase substantially, thus prompting network operators to seek user-enriching, value-added services with distinguishing features that will increase their market share of the growing number of text messaging subscribers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,306 B1 entitled “Text Messaging Originator Selected Ringer” discloses ring-tone parsing logic embedded in a designated ring-tone command field in a text message. The ring-tone command field is located in the text message between reserved characters, which may not be used during normal operation of the alphanumeric paging system. In U.S. Pat. No. 6314,306 B1, a ring-tone command is selected and inserted into the text message by the message originator for remotely controlling the ring-tone of the recipient device. Upon receipt of the text message, the recipient text-messaging device detects the extra ring-tone parsing logic by interpreting the ring-tone command field between the reserved characters. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,306 B1, any ring-tone parsing logic must be removed from the incoming text message to prevent display of the ring-tone commands, which are unintelligible. The recipient device then stores the text message and plays the ring-tone selected by the originator of the message, provided that the recipient device has not blocked or disabled remote control of the ring-tone.
The various aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon careful consideration of the following Detailed Description of the Invention with the accompanying drawings described below.